BNG checklist: Required documents and how to submit them

You know the why’s and when’s of BNG compliance. Here’s a look at the what’s: the documents you will need to complete and submit for BNG application approval.

The list for applications varies between 5 and 6 items, depending on 2 factors: the size of your development and significance of BNG gains.

Projects where you are developing from 1-9 residential dwellings on a site on less than a half hectare, or nonresidential structures with floorspace less than 1,000 square meters (about twice the area of a basketball court) or a site area of less than 1 hectare qualify as “small sites” and should follow the small site metric list. Sites not classified as small will follow a separate submission list.

To determine gain significance, you will need to understand your habitat distinctiveness. You can determine this by using the Statutory (official) Biodiversity Metric calculation tool or if you are developing a small site, the Small Sites Metric (SSM) calculation tool. Both are Microsoft Excel macro-enabled. If either metric specifies that you have habitat distinctiveness that rates moderate or above, your planning and thus your BNG application must address significant gains.
All submissions begin by requiring a biodiversity gain plan, which is essentially an expanded application form. Other specifics regarding required documents for your BNG applications are as follows:

Sites not classified as small sites

• For very simple applications without significant gains:
  • Biodiversity gain plan
  • BNG metric calculation
  • Condition assessments sheets or baseline habitat report containing this data
  • Pre-development habitat survey map and report
  • Post-development plan and map
• For plans with significant gains:
  • Biodiversity gain plan
  • BNG metric calculation
  • Condition assessments sheets or baseline habitat report containing this data
  • Pre-development habitat survey map and report
  • Post-development plan and map
  • Habitat monitoring and management plan

Small sites

• For very simple applications without significant gains:
  • Biodiversity gain plan
  • Small site metric BNG calculation
  • Condition assessments
  • Pre-development habitat survey map and report
  • Post-development plan and map
• For plans with significant gains:
  • Biodiversity gain plan
  • Small site metric BNG calculation
  • Condition assessments
  • Pre-development habitat survey map and report
  • Post-development plan and map
  • Habitat monitoring and management plan

Addressing these mandated areas of the BNG application can be time and resource consuming. On this AiDash portal you will find the structure and automated processes to guide you through required steps, including developing an efficient biodiversity net gain plan and submitting the reports to the authorities.

To get started on your BNG application, click here.